Sunday, November 8, 2009

I realized the other day I'll never get around to editing these, so I might as well just upload them. Also, I can't sleep and I felt like posting them now.Riga colorsCranberries!Alexande\B/ren(t)ylerFlautistOne in a series of funny taxi ads (more later)Opera HouseCuckoo House/ClockGod's houseSomebody's (pretty) houseView from the highest building in RigaMore from high upImportant Lutheran Cathedral

Five of us (Chelsea, Brent, Alex, and Amy) had a lovely trip to Cambridge yesterday.

For me, there were a few particularly distinctive features to the trip.

First, I threw up on the bus thanks to motion sickness. Unluckily for me, the bathroom was out of order and the driver was not particularly well-trained, it seemed, based on his driving and (lack of) ability to handle people's issues. Luckily, I had an empty water bottle in my backpack. Phew.

Second, I ran into Vanessa Williams-Hall at one of the colleges (as well as a pub later, go figure,) who went to high school (elementary school, in fact) with me. It was a crazy experience on so many levels. For one, it was pure luck that we happened to walk into the same college/pub at the same time. What's more, neither of us are studying at Cambridge (she's in London, and was visiting a friend) and it was doubly unlikely given that. We didn't even know the other was studying there! It was also weird to think about it this way: she was the first person (maybe I was for her, not sure) I'd seen in 2.5 months who'd known me before I turned ten. Weird, eh?

Third, I bought my first (perhaps only) vinyl record of the trip. It was a bit of a splurge (£15,) but was also a rare find: The Incredible String Band's album, The Big Huge. I love their stuff, they're distinctly British, and I've never seen this one on vinyl. A nice one to get here cause it would be very hard to find in the states. A successful purchase indeed (see cover below.)

It was a really wonderful day, cause the three of us were feeling some cabin fever, and needed a day away. We hardly covered the whole city, but getting to explore was wonderful, and it was interesting to compare the two halves of Oxbridge. I found Cambridge more open, and it felt a bit more like a city, rather than a town. The old and new seemed to blend a little more, as well.

Here are some photos.

One of the quadsAlex leavin' itAmy lovin' itChelsea 'laxin' itBrent leadin' itCan you believe it?!?Very British guy at the marketFrom the riverBedroomsWell-trimmedPurdy WallBlocksWine ShopYumChapelChurchCoffee from a "very friendly" (according to Alex) barista

There are more, but that's the max for a post, and they take a while to upload. Maybe I'll post more later.